Fedor Emelianenko possible as Strikeforce's 'plus-one' heavyweight for new champ

LAS VEGAS – Soon, the Strikeforce heavyweight grand prix will come to a conclusion, and the entire division then will be sent to the UFC.

But first, the tournament champion – either Josh Barnett or Daniel Cormier – will get one more Strikeforce fight against an opponent to be determined.

While Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker said some of those options were eliminated when the UFC gobbled up a handful of Strikeforce fighters for upcoming cards, one famous Russian remains a possibility.

Following Saturday’s “Strikeforce: Rockhold vs. Jardine” event in Las Vegas, Coker discussed the upcoming conclusion of the heavyweight tournament and the possible return of eliminated tourney fighter Fedor Emelianenko. The eight-man tournament began nearly a year ago, and if Cormier’s hand is healed in time, it could conclude at a March event in Ohio.

“I’d like to get the tournament done,” Coker said. “We started this in February (of 2010). I was hoping at most it’d take us a year. … But we’ll get it done.”

The tournament, of course, is closing on a bit of a confusing note. When then-heavyweight champion Alistair Overeem was pulled from the tourney (and ultimately signed by the UFC), officials shot down the possibility of the tourney winner getting the vacant belt. Then to add another head-scratcher to the situation, officials said the tourney winner will fight one more time before being moved to the UFC.

Coker said there is a reason for that.

“Showtime and Strikeforce put a lot of resources behind this heavyweight tournament,” he said. “I think it was a historical day in New Jersey last year with all eight guys there. I think that lineup was impressive. I think we had an amazing heavyweight division. [Showtime] put a lot of resources behind it, and so did Strikeforce. So they felt like, ‘Look, let the tournament final happen and have one more fight. That kind of puts an exclamation (point) on the division for Strikeforce.’ And then let them go to the UFC and have some good fights there.”

Recently, Strikeforce fighters such as Fabricio Werdum (eliminated in the tourney opener), Chad Griggs (tourney reserve), Shawn Jordan and Lavar Johnson have been booked for UFC fights. Admittedly, that affected Coker’s plans for the “plus-one fight” planned for the tourney champion.

“I had a few ideas, but they were just booked for UFC fights,” he said.

But when asked about Emelianenko, who lost his final three Strikeforce fights and recently has been fighting overseas, Coker left open that possibility. Emelianenko has won his past two bouts (over Jeff Monson and Satoshi Ishii), and while polarizing, he’s still a draw.

So could Emelianenko fight the tourney winner?

“That’s interesting,” Coker said. “I’m not sure what Fedor has planned. I haven’t spoken to M-1. I know (M-1 executive) Steve Bash was in the audience tonight, but we haven’t had that conversation yet.”

While Emelianenko recently has expressed interest in competing the UFC, UFC president Dana White has cast some doubt. In a recent TMZ video, he said the former PRIDE champion “sucks,” and his struggles in negotiating with the fighter’s representatives are well-documented. But a win over the grand-prix champion certainly could justify a UFC contract for Emelienanko.

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